Three words
by Superboringfanfan
Summary: All Hinata wants is to hear those three words. [Oihina, fluff, slight angst]
**A/N: I love both freckly Hinata and Hinata with an undercut so I combined them**

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All Hinata wanted was to hear those three words, those three words that could change a person's life, for both the better and the worst. In his entire 18 years of life the only people to ever say they loved him was his mother and sister, and that was nice, pleasant even, and still made the small flower of warmth bloom in his chest. But, never has he been told he was loved by anyone else but them, and frankly, that hurt.

He had dated in the past, once, they had both confessed during Hinata's second year of high school and had really hit it off in the beginning. However, as the months went by Hinata began to crave those words, especially as he began to spill them carefree almost every day. Yet, he continued on and didn't say anything, respecting that perhaps his partner wasn't ready to whisper those sacred words yet, especially since they already told him many different ways. But, if actions spoke better than words, why did Hinata want those words so bad?

They broke up without them ever being mutually spoken, and after that Hinata felt as if he had run out and wasted all of his 'I love you's, like he had completely thrown them away, with no chance of getting them back. He cried for them, every single one. Hinata then decided, no matter how badly he wanted them, he would never allow a fake one to be said to him, a fake 'I love you' would hurt much more than never having one at all. And he was prepared to live a life with none rather than have his hopes lifted so high to only be dropped and shattered.

Hinata had postponed dating after his first and last heartbreaking attempt, focussing his life on his studies and personal esteem, along with volleyball of course, and after high school he had flourished in the beginnings of being an almost-adult. He had changed his look up a bit, finally taming his wild hair into an attractively tousled undercut, which suited his slightly more muscled (and ever so taller) body a lot more, and had even come to embrace the freckles that peppered across his cheeks and nose (along with his shoulders and upper back) so much that he now wondered why he hated them in the first place. After gaining that much needed self-confidence, Hinata was ready to take college life head on and knock it flat with a punch to its stressful face. That is, until he found out his dorm partner.

Of all the people in Japan it had to be _him_ , the person Hinata still hated admitting he may have had a _teeny-tiny_ yo-wtf-you're-totally-hot crush on back when he was a young, fresh 15 year old bisexual just released into the wild world. It was Oikawa Tooru that was the first thing Hinata saw when he opened his dorm room, worst part was that said Oikawa Tooru was currently in the process of putting on a shirt and was also still very much well-built and muscled. The first thing that flew through Hinata's mind as the fact he needed to stop staring at the other's broad shoulders and the much too alluring back dimples peeking from the waistband of his low-hanging sweatpants. So, like any blushing idiot he bowed almost quick enough to snap his hips off and basically screamed a welcome, which almost caused the unaware brunet-man's soul to jump right out of his too-perfect body.

Everything after that was a blur to Hinata, he slowly grew accustomed to the fact he was practically living with his once-enemy and also to the fact this once-enemy was actually a really cool but also extremely dorky guy. Learning that the suave and attractive Oikawa had a deep love for aliens and astronomy was definitely one of the best things Hinata had the pleasure of knowing. But that wasn't all Hinata learnt about the past-setter-Hinata almost cried when he found out Oikawa no longer played volleyball-and almost too quickly did the two know pretty much everything about each other, secrets, regrets, desires, hopes. And not too long after did Hinata find himself returning the press of lips against his above long-forgotten maths homework.

They had been dating for a happy and healthy 6 months now, but Hinata was getting worried, on their 2-month anniversary Oikawa had almost said _those words_ , the words Hinata wanted so desperately, yet, before they could slip from the other's mouth Hinata had found his hands slapped across Tooru's lips. He remembers the brunet's shocked expression so clearly, and how he had such an empty feeling in his stomach it felt like it had concaved. Hinata had told Oikawa not to say those words until he absolutely meant them, not until he _absolutely_ meant them.

Shouyou was unsure if he was regretting his own words now, what if he never had the chance to hear them again? He so desperately wanted to tell Oikawa them as well, since, Tooru made him feel so many emotions at once, he made him almost scared at how he felt so strongly about him, yet at the same time Tooru made him feel safe, made him feel so good about himself. Shouyou's heart would melt at every affectionate action Tooru did, how he would subconsciously thread their fingers together almost everywhere, how Tooru would kiss the freckled path across his back and shoulders, how Tooru was Hinata's first and made sure to comfort him when he was scared and agreed to stop when Shouyou wanted to bail out the first time they tried.

Hinata curled in on himself, the late-night TV show he was watching abandoned, the nervous swirl of dread and bad thoughts making him feel like he was going to be sick, he didn't want to lose Tooru, he didn't want to lose the man he loved. Hinata flinched at the touch to his back, twisting his defense even tighter, he couldn't make eye contact with him right now. The small touches didn't leave, and were soon joined by a quiet and concerned voice, asking Hinata what was wrong and to look at him, Hinata felt guilt join the concoction in his stomach. After much coaxing Oikawa had finally gotten Shouyou to sit up, except the ginger still wouldn't look at his face, Tooru huffed slightly at this.

"Shou-chan _please_ look at me, _please_ " The elder borderline begged, seeing his little crow looking so miserable reflected on his mood as well. Oikawa cupped Hinata's cheeks, tracing his thumb over them in a silent plead, the red-head finally brought his vision up and Oikawa almost felt his heart shatter, Shouyou looked on the edge of tears, the deep brown of his eyes shiny with wetness. Tooru leaned forward, resting their foreheads together, thumbs still running across the light speckles under Hinata's eyes. Tooru had to tell him, had to otherwise he felt as if he would explode, as if the feeling that had been expanding in his heart would kill him if he didn't tell is little Shouyou. Tooru tossed the idea in his head a bit more; what if telling Shouyou just upset him further? He would have definitely ruined things then. But, Tooru had already planned on telling Shouyou that night, and he really didn't want to back down again. Swallowing his nerves, Oikawa willed his voice to speak.

"Shou-chan... Shouyou, I-I love you." Tooru bit his tongue and scrunched his eyes closed, almost regretting those sincere words, he knew of Shouyou's fear of never being loved, of being alone, and yet he had just said the words that meant the world to Shouyou. If Shouyou didn't believe him Tooru would never forgive himself.

The silence was killing him, but he couldn't bring himself to look at Hinata, couldn't bring himself to chance the sadness in Hinata's eyes, he silently begged, his hope slipping away after every torturous second of silence, before he heard the weary voice.

"S-say it again" Hinata sounded so small, so fragile. Tooru composed himself then pulled back, staring deep into Shouyou's eyes, and repeated those sweet words with full confidence, becoming Hinata's strength. Tears spilled down Hinata's cheeks, except they weren't full of pain or grief this time, they were tears of relief and complete bliss. Hinata smiled, wide and toothy, euphoria filling his heart and causing long-awaited warmth to seep through his veins. Hinata placed his palms over the hands cupping his face, his voice cracking and wavering as his locked-up feelings were finally able to be spilled. "I love you too... I love you so much Tooru"

Shouyou was then enveloped by his now-sobbing boyfriend, a string of _those words_ being whispered so genuinely into his ear, and they sounded so sweet and heavenly to him, Hinata snuggled into his love's neck, an erasable smile gracing his lips. Finally, Shouyou felt complete.

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 **A/N: These two are gonna kill me**


End file.
